I try to stay out of the water as much as i can , try to blend in with the surroundings , camo and drab colored clothing , try to approach from downstream if you can , fishing for wild brookies i always work upstream , try to cast from as far away as you can , been doing this a long time and i'm still spooky. You'll get better if you keep at it so..........KEEP AT IT........GOOD FISHIN.

Watch your shaddow, crawl to casting point, hide behind trees or rocks, and most important, make sure you can cast well. Nothing like doing everything right and putting a crappy cast out there to spook the whole pool.

Off hand can't think of their titles but many trout fishing books discuss the subject-read up- you will be surprised at such things as trout being able to see you while your on a bank and can't even see the part of water where they are.Many factors to take into consideration so best to get a book-

The most important bit of advice I can give you for wild brown trout in skinny water is to watch. Slow down and watch them. Watch the bugs, and watch the water. You'll learn more doing that than you ever will by frothing the water and spooking them. Once you have an idea of what they're doing, approach carefully and execute your plan.

In heavier water, you don't have to worry about spooking them as much, but knowing what they are doing still helps.

For wild brookies, I approach it like golf. Every hole in the stream is similar to a hole on the golf course. Stop, plan your angles and your attack, and try to land the damn fly in the water. It doesn't matter what it is, just that they don't have to move far from cover to get it.

In all cases, stay downstream when possible and keep your profile low. I don't worry much about drifting a fly line over fish, but I DO worry about landing a line on top of them. There is a big difference between the two, so keep that in mind.

Good stalking and wading skills are extremely important. With these skills you can really get much closer to the fish than you think because you can blend into the environment and although the trout may see you, if you move slowly they do not view you as a threat. You simply need to plan everything – you can’t wing it or something will go wrong. Spot the fish or the location you think the fish are holding, figure out where you want to present your fly from (sometimes the ideal spot isn’t the best spot because you physically can’t get there or can’t cast from the ideal spot), figure out how you’re going to get there quietly and then give it your best shot. You’re better off missing short or to the side than long and over.

The guys on this board are dead on, as usual.A summation of what they've told you:

1) Wear drab clothing2) Stay out of sight -- blend in with your surroundings3) Don't be reckless -- observe first3) Plan your position, cast, drift and pick up -- make sure you have casting room or execute a roll cast4) MAKE THE FIRST CAST COUNT -- rarely do you get another chance with these fish -- don't cast over the fish and don't slam line on the water

Posted on: 2009/5/29 10:07

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"I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't." --John Gierach

You see a wild trout at the end of the pool....you try to approach and he runs. What could you have done to change you approach not to spook the fish? Maybe if you ducked then crawled behind that tree he might not have run. Maybe you should have stayed in the shadows of that oak tree.

Lets say you go there and didnt spook the fish. The second you false casted it ran. What kind of cast could you have tried, in that situation, to get the fly to him without spooking him? A roll cast, bow and arrow.....maybe a side arm cast.

It could be the smallest thing....or the biggest. Did you notice what side your shadow was facing? Did you look behind you before you casted? How far ahead of the fish did you cast your fly? Were you in the shadows? Was it raining creating soft cover? Did you fish the front of the pool first or the back?

ALWAYS look at your failures not as a failure but rather a learning experience. This is where you will become a better wild trout fisherman. An ANALYSIS of your success and failures will only lead to more success. This suggestion may seem over board but i do it all the time. And i catch a lot of different wild trout out of a lot of different streams in various situations. Once you learn what works in various situations....apply it to similar circumstances. This is a recipe for success.

Welcome to wild trout fishing! It is some of the most rewarding fishing in all of Pennsylvania. Be sure to share you experiences with us on the board. Good or Bad we love discussing it and never judge. In fact, I have learned so much from other board members.

As I approach a pool, I always take a few casts at the bottom - downstream side - of it, even if it's quite shallow. Sometimes there are trout there, and it's a good idea to try to catch them first, before spooking them up into the deeper sections. Then the whole pool is spooked.I've made this mistake more times than I care to remember

I believe that the most important thing is the first cast in many situations. most of the time it is then that u will catch one of these jewels. Also another thing that is extremely important is stealth in the approach. like many others have said is stay out of the water as much as possible but there are times that the mountain laurel is so close together that this is impossible.

The delicate trout that come from these waters have captivated me and from the first time that i ever saw a wild trout when i was 11 it has been very difficult for me to fish for stocked trout. They have inspired me which is actively seen in my art work and writing. Practice makes as close as humans can get to perfection. Never ever give up.

us wild trout anglers are a secretive bunch but it is us that need to raise the awareness to save these beautiful fish, even if it means giving up a fishing spot.